Deep and Dreamless Sleep
by pandorabox82
Summary: A major car accident right before Christmas upsets Penelope's plans for the season, cleaving her to Dave's side as he tries to cope with this new reality of his. Is there yet a Christmas miracle in store for them?
1. Chapter 1

"Hey, what's up?" Penelope asked as she saw Rossi standing in her doorway. He just shook his head wordlessly and she beckoned him inside. This was their last day before Christmas break, and she knew that the man had been excited to spend the next week with Erin and her kids at the cabin. Looking closely at his face, she took in the tracks of tears there and she stood, going over to her couch, sinking down on it as she patted the spot next to her.

"There was an accident, Kitten. Erin was on her way home with Alison and her husband and the baby…" Those were the only words he could get out before he began to cry once more and Penelope wrapped him up in a tight hug, rocking back and forth.

"Are they at the hospital now?" she asked carefully, not wanting to upset him further. He nodded against her chest and somehow, she got them to stand back up. "Which hospital are they at?"

"St. Vincent's. I don't think I can drive myself. Would you?"  
"Of course, Dave. Let's go." She quickly pulled on her coat and then grabbed her purse, shoving her work phone inside. She grabbed hold of his hand and began to tug him out towards the elevators. Blake tried to stop them, but Penelope ignored her and stabbed at the button, praying that the doors would open before they were questioned. Dave didn't need that right now.

Finally, the doors opened and she pushed him inside, pressing the door close button as Hotch stepped out of the bullpen, looking at them quizzically. She shook her head at him, her usual cheerful smile stripped from her face by her friend's revelation. "What if she doesn't make it, Kitten? I was going to ask her to move in with me, so that we would never be apart. I already lost Carolyn, I don't think I could lose her, too."

"Don't give up on hope just yet, Dave, okay?" He tried to smile at her, but his jaw clenched instead as he tried not to cry once more. They fell silent and a heavy sense of foreboding filled the small compartment as she tapped her foot, wishing the blasted thing would go faster.

She led him over to her car and then got behind the wheel. She had been to St. Vincent's many times, and it seemed that she went into autopilot as she drove to the hospital. It didn't take long for their phones to start ringing, but she ignored them, intent on getting to the hospital. Dave pulled his out, sending it to voicemail after looking at the display. "That was Hotch."

"He probably wants to know what's going on. I'll call him later after we get you in to see Erin. Okay?"

From the corner of her eye, she watched him nod and she slipped her hand over to pat his, needing to comfort him in that moment. "And if I lose her?"

The words were soft, almost like a breath, and she felt her heart clench painfully in her chest. "Then we'll help you through that Hell." They were silent the rest of the drive over and then she was parking in the emergency lot. Dave took a long time joining her at the rear of the car, and she clasped his hand tightly as she led him into the waiting room. "Excuse me, we received a call earlier about Erin Strauss and her family?"

The nurse looked up from his paperwork and smiled a little. For some reason, the gesture was not reassuring to Penelope and she unconsciously tightened her grip on Dave's hand. "Yes, well, perhaps the doctors should speak with you. Let me take you to a more private area."

"Okay," she replied in a small voice, the hinky vibes causing the hair on her arms to stand up. They were led into what appeared to be the staff break room and the man, Greg according to his nametag, motioned for them to sit.

"I'll send Dr. Winchester right in." Again, he tried to smile at them, but she caught the sad look in his eyes that told her there was more going on than what he could tell them. Dave let go of her hand to reach into his pocket and pull out his phone.

"This is the only picture I have of us together," he said as he held out the phone to her. The picture had been taken at JJ's wedding in May, and Erin was smiling gently, her head resting on his chest. There was something so achingly beautiful about her, captured in that moment of time, that Penelope felt her throat choke up, the first tears starting to roll down her cheeks.

"She looks so happy here."

"We were. I was going to ask her to be my forever partner. We both have talked about how marriage is not our thing, since all of ours have ended in a big ball of fire." He pulled out a small box from his pocket and handed it to her.

Opening the lid, she gasped at the ring she saw. "Dave…"

"I designed it myself. Picked out which stones I wanted, how I wanted them arranged, everything. And now, she may never know that I wanted to take this next step."

"She will," Penelope murmured as the door opened, revealing a tall, slim, doctor. He looked grim and she reached out for Dave's hand once more, knowing he would need the contact of a friend.

"Hello, Greg told me that you were here about Erin Strauss and her family. I wish I had better news to tell you at this point. Her son in law was killed instantly and her daughter sustained massive injuries. She's still in surgery."

"And my Erin?" His voice cracked when he said her name, and Penelope felt herself begin to cry a little harder.

"She sustained a traumatic brain injury and is currently in a medically induced coma to reduce the swelling on her brain. No other family members have made it here yet, so would you take the baby into custody?"

Dave looked a bit shell-shocked, so Penelope nodded quickly. "That would be fine, Doctor Winchester. May, may we go see Erin?"

"Yes. Follow me." They stood and he led them over to the elevator bank. The ride up to another floor seemed to take forever and Dave seemed to wilt before her very eyes. Finally, the doors opened and they stepped out, following after Doctor Winchester.

The room he led them to was so sterile and Penelope flinched as she remembered the time that she had been in a room very much like this one, no one knowing if she would live or die. She chanced a glance at the bed and saw that Erin appeared to be swallowed up by the tubes and monitors that surrounded her. "Erin!" Dave cried out in anguish, rushing to her side, totally ignoring the crib in the corner of the room that held the baby.

"What's her name?" Penelope asked as she picked the crying girl up.

"Iris. At least, that's what was embroidered on her bag. Here, these are all the supplies that you're left with. If you need something, let one of the nurses know, and we'll set you up before you go home."

"Thank you, Doctor." He nodded and left them alone, closing the door on his way out. "Dave, what should we do with Iris?"

He shrugged, not looking up from Erin. "I suppose his parents should take custody until Alison gets out of the hospital. At this point, I don't really care."

She knew that wasn't him talking, and she cuddled the child closer to her chest. "Mama?" Iris asked, pulling back to look into her eyes.

"No, sweetie, Mama is in surgery right now, the doctors are trying to fix her and make her better so that she can take care of you once more." The baby nodded before snuggling into Penelope's chest, seemingly soothed by the soft way Penelope had spoken to her. She went over to Dave's side, resting her free hand on his shoulder and watching Erin breath through the machines.

Fat tears began to roll down her cheeks and she rubbed Iris's back, needing to do something with her hands. Their phones began to ring once more and Rossi wordlessly thrust his at her. Penelope adjusted how she was holding Iris to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Penelope? Why are you answering Dave's phone? What is going on?" Hotch sounded agitated and she sighed a little.

"You might want to bring the team here, save Blake. She doesn't really like Erin, and we don't need that sort of animosity on a day like today."

"Where are you? Quit speaking in riddles."

"We're at St. Vincent's Hospital. There was a serious car accident and her son in law didn't make it. Erin's in a coma, and the doctor's aren't certain of her chances, either." Her voice broke a little as she said that, and she heard Hotch gasp a little. "Please, we need another friendly face or two here at the moment."

"I'll get there as soon as I can." He hung up on her and she handed the phone back to Rossi, watching him turn it off and stick it in his pocket.

Her phone was still ringing, so she awkwardly pulled it out of her purse and answered. "Yeah?"

"Baby Girl, Blake said that you led Rossi out of work crying. What is going on?"

She felt her shoulders slump a little as she heard her best friend's voice. "There's been a terrible accident, Boo. Erin's really hurt." Once more, her voice broke and she wished he was there, so that she had someone to hold onto. "Hotch is coming here soon."

"Then I'll come with him. I'll see you soon, sugar."

"All right." She hung up and set the phone aside, beginning to rock Iris back and forth. It didn't take long for the baby to fall asleep and Penelope laid her back down in the crib. "Hotch and Morgan will be here soon. I don't know who else will come."

"They have families to get to, you should have told them not to come. Christmas is only four days away now. This is too depressing, even for you, Kitten."

"Stop talking like that!" She was surprised by how sharp her words came out, hot tears welling up out of her eyes. "She's not dead, she's just in a deep and dreamless sleep that you can't control. The doctors know what they're doing and will fix her!"

He finally looked up at her, his eyes swollen and red from his tears. "How can you have such faith, Kitten?"

"Didn't you have that same faith in me, when I was lying there, no one sure I was ever going to wake up again? Morgan told me how you poked and prodded him into hope. Well, I'm going to do the same for you. Don't give up, Dave. She needs you to bring her back to us."

Penelope had no idea why she cared so much, but she did, suddenly, in that moment. Erin had become a quiet part of their lives ever since her return to the office, and they had formed a tentative friendship over late nights in the office. It wasn't something they told anyone else, since it felt right to keep things just between them, but now, she wished that she had told someone else. "She's going to need you, too, Penny. I know how much she's come to value your friendship with her."

Dave stood and embraced her in a tight hug. "She's a wonderful person. I just wish that I had gotten to know her sooner. Prejudices run deep, though."

"That they do." He let go of her and she sat in the chair next to his, reaching out for Erin's hand. The flesh was soft and cool, and Penelope longed to feel her squeeze back, to show some sign of life. The minutes passed by, and then the door opened, revealing Erin's other children. Dave stood and opened his arms to them, and she watched them hug him tightly. This was something else she hadn't known, how close he had become with her family.

"We came as soon as we heard the news. Dad took a little time in getting ahold of us. How's Iris?" The daughter craned her neck to look at the crib and Penelope nodded.

"She's sleeping right now. The doctor said that she was spared any injury. Which is amazing, given the severity of the impact. Alison is still in surgery, I guess."

"We know, we were just up there. Her doctor came out and told us that it could still be another six hours before they get everything finished that they need to. I'm Mark, by the way." Erin's son held out his hand to her and she shook it heartily.

"Penelope Garcia," she replied, trying to smile at him.

"I thought you might be here. Mama really likes you, you know." Mark sat on the edge of the bed, looking at his mother. "She's always talking about something you told her, something she's had to go researching. You challenge her, which is why I think she gravitates to you. And Dave. Without that challenge, she wouldn't have had the courage to come back."

"I see." They all fell silent, Dave resting his hand on her shoulder as he gave up his seat to Erin's youngest. The door opened once more and Hotch and Morgan were stepping in, giving the room a crowded, homey, feel, despite the fact that someone was unable to wake up.

"She looks like Sleeping Beauty," Derek commented lowly as he came up to her side.

"She does. Too bad love's true kiss won't wake her up." The moment the words tumbled out of her lips, she began to cry once more. "I can't leave her side, Honey Bear."

"I figured you might say something like that. Hotch and I brought both your go bags." She smiled a little at him, letting him kiss her forehead sweetly. He set the bags at their feet and looked around the room. "Does anyone want us to grab them something to eat?"

"That would be nice." Dave began to give him an order and the others followed suit. Penelope, though, had no appetite and so she asked him to bring her her usual coffee order. He nodded and then he and Hotch left.

"So, tell me a story about your favorite vacation that you took with your mother," she said lowly, looking at Mark expectantly.

"I was seven, and we were going on our first trip to Disney," he began, soon weaving them up in a wonderful, magical, story.


	2. Chapter 2

Penelope woke with a start. It took a few moments of looking around the room to reorient herself to the fact that she was at the hospital, sleeping in the rollaway bed they had provided. Iris was sleeping next to her and she took a deep breath as she sat up, pulling the baby into her lap.

Dave was next to his Erin, his head pillowed on one arm, the other carefully draped over Erin's stomach. The night nurse had been the one to break the news to them that the baby she had been carrying had not survived the accident, and that had caused Rossi to break down once more, sobbing over his beloved's inert body.

Her children had left shortly after that, not wanting to intrude too long on their silent vigil, and it had been up to Penelope to calm both Iris and Dave. The child seemed to pick up on their emotions so easily and she had not stopped crying until Penelope had soothed her. She vaguely remembered the nurse coming in and checking Erin's vitals at some point during her sleep and Penelope wondered what she made of their ragtag trio.

The date on the whiteboard had been changed already, and there was a hopeful smiley face drawn next to the day nurse's name. Saturday, the woman had proclaimed, would be a wonderful one. Penelope hoped that same cheer would rub off on Dave and her at some point, since she firmly believed that staying positive sent off positive vibes, healing people more quickly. Iris stretched and yawned against Penelope's chest. "Milk?"

"One second, Iris," she murmured, crawling out of bed. Patting down her hair and grabbing the diaper bag, she carried the child out into the hall, looking around for a nurse. Finally spotting one, she hurried up to her side and stopped her. "Excuse me, I need to make a bottle up for Iris. Is there somewhere I can heat the water?"

"Certainly, just follow me." The nurse led them to a lounge area where there was a microwave and sink. "Take your time. I assume you and Ms. Strauss's fiancé are going to stay here awhile."

"We are. I can't thank you enough for letting us sleep in the room. I know Dave wouldn't want to be apart from her until we know more about what's going on."

The woman smiled kindly, and Penelope finally looked at her lanyard to get her name, Jill. "We understand that. When you've finished feeding Iris, I do have some news for all of you."

Penelope nodded and set Iris down on the table so that she could dig out a fresh bottle and the can of formula. It didn't take long for her to get the bottle to the right temperature and Iris hungrily began to suck, quickly downing the entire thing. She knew enough to burp her afterwards and then she checked her diaper, changing it with only a little difficulty. It had been some time since Henry had been in diapers, and she was a little rusty at it.

Walking back to Erin's room, she quietly talked to the baby girl, trying to get her familiarized with her. Opening the door, she saw that Dave was awake and gently massaging one of Erin's legs, Jill working on the other. Intuitively, she knew that this was to keep the blood flow going, since Derek had mentioned once that that's what they did to coma patients. "Hey, I'm back."

"Hi, Kitten. There's no change in her this morning."

"Change doesn't happen overnight, you know. Now, Jill, you mentioned that you had news for us?"

The woman nodded. "Yes, Alison made it through her surgeries just fine and is awake. She has a long road to recovery, but she would like to see her daughter today. The doctor told her about what happened to her husband, and she feels like she needs to hold her baby."

"Of course. Does she mind us taking care of Iris?" Penelope asked, rubbing the girl's back.

"No, she's grateful for someone stepping up to do so. And she's concerned about her mother, of course. Please try to stay as upbeat and positive as you can when you speak with Alison."

Penelope nodded, smiling at Dave. "I'll go up and see her after I get something to eat, then." Jill nodded and then entered something on the laptop that sat in the corner of Erin's room. "Thank you, Jill."

"You're welcome." She left them alone and Dave sighed deeply.

"What is it, honey?"

"I know that I can't expect an instant fix to this whole situation, I just hoped that there would be some noticeable change, you know?"

She sat next to him, wrapping her arm around his waist. "Just keep talking to her, letting her know you're there. And when I get back from seeing Alison, I want you to take Iris and go for a walk around the block, okay? We both need to get fresh air today at some point."

He nodded half-heartedly and she rested her head on his shoulder. Soon, an orderly came by with a food tray for them and she quickly wolfed down the orange there. "What, no bacon for you?"

"Not after seeing Kevin eat it on donuts for four years straight. There's only so much a girl can handle," she lightly teased, hoping to get a smile out of him. It worked, a tiny little flicker of one ghosting across his lips. "Now, we are going up to visit Alison, so remember, talk to her. Tell her happy memories."

He nodded and she kissed his cheek before gently ruffling his hair. "Maybe I'll tell her about that time you accidentally came on to Reid, thinking he was Morgan."

"You do that, my sweet Italian Stallion." She was smiling as she left the room, going up to Jill at the nurse's station. "Hey, so what floor is Alison on?"

"She's up on eight, room 829 to be exact."

"Thank you!" Penelope sashayed off and was soon riding up the elevator to the right floor. By the time she found the room, Alison was sitting up, eating breakfast. "Hi, Alison? I'm Penelope Garcia, and I work with…"

"Iris!" the young woman interrupted, holding out her arms to her child. Iris began to squirm against Penelope and she quickly closed the distance between them, handing the baby over. "I hope she hasn't fussed for you. How's Mama?"

There were bright tears in the woman's eyes, and for a moment, Penelope knew what Erin looked like when she was just as young, just as innocent. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she shrugged, tearing up herself. "She's in a coma. Her vitals looked the same this morning as they did last night. Dave's with her, still hasn't left her side."

"That's David for you. Ever the faithful and loyal lover. He's made Mama so happy these last few months. Did, did the baby survive?"  
"You knew about her pregnancy?"

"I was the first one she called with the news. She was so ecstatic and yet apprehensive. She knew it would be risky, but she wanted to finally make David a father."

Penelope felt her face fall as she shook her head, wrapping her arms around her waist. "No, Alison, the baby didn't make it." She nodded, holding Iris a little closer to her.

"Do you know what Iris's first word was?" Penelope shook her head. "Cara. She'd heard David call Mama that so much that she picked it up. Mama told me that if the baby was a girl, that was going to be her name." Alison clutched her baby close to her chest, rocking back and forth as she cried. Penelope scooted closer to her, letting an arm come to rest around her shoulders, drawing her close. "I can't lose Mama, too. She's lost so much already, and so have I, and I need her."

"Like I told Dave, we have to hold onto hope. She hasn't died, not yet."

"No, she's just in a deep and dreamless sleep."

It was weird to hear her words parroted back, and she nodded a little. "Where is that line from, anyway? I know I've heard it before."

"O Little Town of Bethlehem. It's one of Mama's favorite Christmas hymns." She looked up from her child's shoulder, smiling gently. A yawn broke across her face. "I'm getting tired now. They said that would happen quite quickly, while I healed up. Iris, you're going to go back with Miss Penelope, and she's going to take care of you while Mommy gets a bit stronger."

She held Iris out and Penelope took hold of her, cuddling her close. "Thank you."

"No, thank you. Mommy loves you, Iris."

They made their way out of the room as Alison settled back in the bed, her eyes closing the moment her head touched her pillow. Penelope made her way back down to Erin's room, leaning against the door jamb, watching Dave finish up a story. "We're back, and Iris could use a walk outside now."

He looked up at them, his eyes cloudy with tears. "That sounds nice." He stood and picked up the coat that was part of Iris's things, putting it on her. Then he shrugged into his own jacket before taking Iris from Penelope's arms. "We'll see you in a little while, Kitten. She, she likes it when you talk to her."

She nodded and gently pushed him out of the room. Once the door was closed, she sat next to Erin's bed, picking up her hand. It was still cool to the touch, and she sighed as she entwined her fingers with Erin's. "So, Dave seems to think you like to hear stories. I wish I had some good ones for you."

There was just the slightest little twitch in Erin's hand and she stopped speaking, looking intently at the woman's face. There was no sign of awareness there, but she felt the first flicker of hope, true hope, rise in her breast. "Yet in thy dark streets shineth, the everlasting light," she murmured, her mind going back to the hymn.

No further movements came from Erin and she sighed once more. "I miss you, you know. It's only been, what, less than a full day since I last heard your voice, and yet, I expect to hear you calling me, telling me about how you beat that last craving. I've come to really respect your friendship, Erin. Don't you dare leave me, you hear?"

She tightly gripped the woman's hand as she began to sob, finally letting out the sorrow and terror she had felt ever since Dave had told her there had been an accident. Jill came in at some point, resting her hand on Penelope's shoulder, and she looked up into her clear blue eyes. "I know how hard you're trying to keep up your brave face. You're perfectly okay, letting those feelings out."

"I know. I just really want everything to be okay, you know?"

"Well, how about this bit of news, then. Her vitals are picking up and she's responding to stimuli. You can see that here." The nurse pointed to the machines that Erin was hooked up to, and Penelope did notice that there had been a change from the previous day. "Keep talking to her, keep telling her that she's wanted and needed here."

"I will. Thank you." Jill nodded, making a few more notations on the laptop before leaving the room. "Did you hear that, Erin? You're fighting your way back to us! I know that this is probably one of the hardest battles you've ever fought, but you came back from alcoholism, so I know you can come back from this."

Penelope brought her other hand to rest on Erin's stomach, thinking about the baby, about Cara, a wash of sadness once more coming over her. "Oh, Erin, when you wake up, we'll have to tell you about your losses. And if you guys really want a baby, if she wasn't just some wondrous surprise for you in your autumn years, I'll surrogate for you. After all, that's what friends are for, right? To show love and compassion and caring."

She laid her head down against Erin's arm, watching her stomach move up and down with her breaths. "I hated being in here, you know, back when Battle shot me. I felt enclosed, trapped, and all I wanted to do was go home. But, oh, I saw Alison this morning. She looks like you, you know, even with her black hair. And she wants to see you soon. But she has to wait, probably until the doctor says that she's stable enough to move. The surgeries seemed to go well, though, since she seemed alert."

Penelope continued talking about Erin's daughter and then granddaughter until she felt her eyes grow heavy with weariness. Yawning deeply, she rubbed her cheek against Erin's arm, fighting to stay awake. It was a losing battle, though, and she let her eyes close, barely acknowledging the way Erin's fingers tightened against her as she drifted off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Penelope's back ached when she woke up the next morning. She sat with a stretch, looking around the room, finally accustomed to the antiseptic stench of the hospital. It had only taken her two days that time, and she cracked her back, looking over at Dave.

He was feeding Iris, a sad smile on his face and she smiled in return, loving how much of a family they looked like. "Good morning, Dave."

"Morning, Kitten. Iris was fussing, so I got everything ready for her. I'm taking her up to see Alison in a little while. The breakfast cart should be here in just a little bit."

Penelope nodded before heading into the private bathroom, relieving herself and washing her hands. Rejoining him, she held out her arms for Iris, wanting to hold the baby tight. "Did she have a good night?"

"I think so. It's hard to tell, since she can't talk to me. I found an old voicemail on my phone that I haven't gotten rid of, and it was so good to hear her voice."

Her doctor came in just then, smiling at them. "Good morning. I'm glad to see that you're both here. There have been developments in Erin's condition, and I wanted to discuss them with you. David, as her power of attorney, you need to make some decisions."

"I thought she was getting better," Penelope quickly interjected.

Doctor Winchester smiled at her. "She is, slightly. She's not recovering as quickly as we would like, however. I do want to see if she'll be able to breathe on her own, and I'll need your permission to remove the breathing tube."

Dave nodded. "Whatever you want to do is fine, Doctor." The man handed over a form for Dave to sign and he did with a flourish. After that was done, the doctor stepped out and came back a few moments later with Jill and another nurse.

"You'll need to step outside while we do this, please."

They nodded and went out into the hall. Penelope sagged against Dave, the weariness of the situation catching up to her ever more. "I'm so tired, Dave."

"I am, too, Kitten." He cuddled her close, rubbing his hand up and down her arm. "But we have to stay strong for Iris, and Alison, and Erin. Look, it's Sunday. Why don't you head home and take a shower, get something to eat with Kevin and then come back? It's not like she's going to wake up anytime soon."

The defeat in his voice hurt her heart and she shook her head rapidly. "I am not going home just yet. Something is calling my name, telling me that I have to be here. Okay?"

He chuckled a little, the first happy sound she had heard from him since everything had begun, and she giggled in response, feeling a small weight removed from her shoulders. "I should know better than to try and convince you to do something you don't want to, Penelope. So, do you want to shower first in that god-awful little compartment?"

"Sure. I need to make myself look pretty for all the hot guys I'm going to meet here."

"Well, you know, Doctor Winchester has had his eye one you…"

She blushed a little, loving the teasing banter he was keeping up with her. It grounded her, making her feel normal in this sea of uncertainty that they were sailing. "He is sort of cute. But I think Kevin might have a small problem with that."

"Well, you aren't officially going back out yet. Erin told me that when I asked if I had to invite him over along with you to Christmas dinner." He smiled before kissing her forehead. The door opened and Jill stepped out into the hallway.

"If you want to come back in, you can. Just be prepared to hear how labored Erin's breathing is going to be. Without the breathing tube, she has to work harder to breathe. But, she is breathing on her own."

"Praise God for that," he said under his breath, tightening his arm around Penelope. "And is there any indication that she'll wake up soon?"

"I wish there was, Dave, I really do. But this is another sign of hope." Jill smiled and went back to her rounds as they slipped inside the room. She had been right, Erin's breathing sounded labored and harsh to her ears, but to Penelope it was a wonderful sound.

"I wish I could breathe for her."

"You wouldn't, though. She needs to fight this battle on her own, and this is just one more skirmish she needs to win. Right?"

He dipped his head slightly at Penelope's words, beckoning for her to sit down. Doctor Winchester smiled at them both kindly before he left the room, waving a little to her as he closed the door. "He is a doctor, Kitten."

"And right now, I'm focusing on Erin. Here, take Iris so I can shower." She handed the baby over and went to her bag, pulling out fresh clothes and her makeup bag. Dave was right, the shower stall was quite small, and she stripped quickly, laying her clothes over the back of the toiler.

It felt good to step beneath the hot stream of water, to wash the gunk and grime of the past few days off her skin. Once she felt reasonably clean and her hair was washed, she turned off the water, shaking off the excess before grabbing one of the towels and drying off completely. After dressing, she looked at herself in the mirror, trying to smile, trying to feel positive for Dave and Erin.

Stepping back in the room at large, she took Iris from Dave's arms and let him disappear into the other room. As soon as the water began to fall, she pulled out her phone and dialed Morgan. "Hey, Sugar Bear."

"Penelope! How are you holding up?"

It was so good to hear his voice. He'd been calling every night, to check in, but this was the first time she'd called him. "Okay, I guess. They took the breathing tube out today, and Erin sounds really weird to my ears. All harsh and labored. I know that she needs to have that out so that she can recover, but it hurts, you know?"

"I do. Do you need me to come spell you and Dave today? I know how wearing it can get to be when you're waiting for a change that may…" His words trailed off, but they both knew what he was going to say, and she sighed.

"We're going to be fine, I think, but a friendly face is always welcome."

"Then I'll be there in about twenty minutes. I love you, Baby Girl."

"I love you, too, Der. See you soon." She stuck the phone back in her pocket and then bounced Iris up and down on her knee. "Let's find a book to read on Penelope's iPad," she murmured, going over to the table and pulling out the device. It didn't take her long to find a book of Hans Christian Anderson stories and she downloaded it, beginning to read the first tale that caught her eye. "Really, the largest green leaf in this country is a dock-leaf; if one holds it before one, it is like a whole apron, and if one holds it over one's head in rainy weather, it is almost as good as an umbrella, for it is so immensely large…"

By the time she had finished two stories, Dave had rejoined them, listening to her voice intently. After the next story, she heard the door open and Derek slipped in, leaning against the wall as she finished the story and set the iPad aside. "You are going to be a great mother someday, Garcia," he said lowly, smiling at her. "And how is the little princess?"

"She's doing remarkably well for being cooped up here. But Alison wants her close by, and we aren't going to leave Erin's side, and here we are. How is everyone else on the outside world? I've heard a little from Jayje, but she's understandably busy with Henry and Will."

"Yeah, she's so busy, getting those last minute presents and everything. Will's mother came up from New Orleans last night, and I guess the less said there, the better. Reid took Maeve out to Las Vegas to meet his mother."

"Ooh, is this the test, then?"

"What test, Kitten?" Dave asked, finally looking up at them.

"The 'If you don't like my mother, we don't have a relationship' test. What outcome are you hoping for, Boo?"

"That she fails the test. There's just something about her I don't like."

"Me, too." Iris yawned and rubbed her face into Penelope's chest, so she got up and put the baby in the crib, covering her with a blanket. "And what about Hotch or Blake?"

"Beth came down from New York to visit and Blake said that she was fine spending the holiday alone. She did ask after Erin, though, and I gave her all the news that I knew. That's a good sign, right, that she even asked after Erin?"

"I would say so. I'm just sorry that it had to take something so serious to make her want to reach out." Dave smiled a little at them. "Derek, do you think that we could get you to do something for us? The food here is decent, but I am really craving Chinese. How about you, Kitten?"

"That would be really wonderful."

"Say no more, then, guys. I will return shortly with your desired food." He came over and kissed her forehead lightly. "Oh, and Kevin would like to hear from you at some point soon."

"Thanks," she said unenthusiastically, watching him go out the door.

"What's wrong with Kevin wanting you to call?" Dave asked as he came up to her side.

"I guess I just don't want to deal with his drama while I'm waiting for Erin to wake up. I need to be focused solely on four people right now – you, her, Iris, and Alison. There isn't any room in my heart for anyone else right now. And I know how selfish that is, but she's my friend! I didn't realize how much I cared for her until this horrible, terrible, accident."

"Accidents like this tend to bring things into a sharper focus." She nodded and turned into him, wrapping her arms around his waist as she let herself cry once more. "And I don't think she'd want you to cry so very much. Erin's not one for a lot of tears."

She nodded, refusing to let go of him. "Have there been any more indications that she's in there, listening for us?"

"I thought she squeezed my hand earlier, but I couldn't be certain, you know? It could have been just a simple reflex."

"But it gave you hope, right?"

He tightened his arms around her. "Yes, it did."

Penelope finally pulled away from him to look at Erin's inert form. A deep silence filled the room, punctuated only by the beeping of Erin's machines and the harsh sound of her breathing. Dave sat next to her, picking up Erin's hand once more. "Alison seems to really like you. When I took Iris up there again yesterday afternoon, that was all she could talk about, how happy you make her mother."

"It goes both ways. Erin makes me incredibly happy." A soft groan came from Erin's lips and they both sat up straighter, looking towards the bed. Penelope reached out for Dave's free hand and he gripped it tightly, so tightly, as they waited with bated breath for the next sound that came from Erin's throat.

The silence was broken by Derek returning with their food, and they both turned to look at him. Penelope could feel herself grin at him and he looked at them quizzically. "Did I miss something here?" he asked, setting the bags of food down on the table.

"Erin made a noise earlier. We were hoping that she'd make another, but then you came in. Thanks for bringing us food, Sugar." He nodded, coming up to her side and kissing her head. "So, what did you get?"

"All of our favorites, including beef and broccoli." She nodded and went over to the bags, pulling out the containers and arranging them on the small table. Derek passed around plates to all of them and then they dug in. Iris woke up a few minutes later and Penelope picked her up, bouncing her on her knee.

"Would you like to try a bite?" she asked after noticing the baby staring intently at her food. Iris nodded and opened her mouth, while Penelope broke a tiny piece of the least spiciest food and held it out to her. She quickly devoured it and Penelope laughed when she opened her mouth for more, looking for all the world like a baby bird.

"I think you're going to create a monster there, Kitten. Better be careful." She nodded, smiling at Rossi. "Erin hates when we get Chinese at home. There's something about the way garlic makes me taste when…" He blushed and stopped speaking, looking down at his lover. The first thing Penelope thought of caused her to blush, too, and she giggled lowly.

"I feel like I'm being left out of something," Derek said, looking between the two of them. "But do I want to know what's going on here?"

"Probably not, Sugar Bear. I just didn't realize Erin was quite that…vocal."

Rossi glared at her, and she shrugged. "There's no need to…"

"I know, which is why I didn't mention what she was vocal about." She went back to eating, feeding bits and pieces to Iris as she did. When the meal was over, Derek and Dave cleaned everything up, throwing the empty containers in the trash. "So, Iris, do you want to go see Mommy again?"

The baby nodded and she smiled at the men. "See you in a few hours, Kitten." She nodded and held Iris out for Dave to kiss. Then, she leaned down, kissing his stubbly cheek.

"You need to shave. When Erin wakes up, she is not going to want that stubble burning her skin. Oh, and if she makes any more noises, text me ASAP. Okay?"

He nodded and then she left the room, heading over to the elevators. She couldn't keep the happy grin off her face and knew that as soon as Erin woke up, she would have one heck of a story to begin telling her.


	4. Chapter 4

"…and to the Earth it gave great light, and so it continued both day and night." Penelope sung along with the carolers that were visiting the room, loving the peaceful feel that it brought to everything.

It was now Christmas Eve, and despite all the signs that Erin had given earlier, there had been nothing further to indicate that she was any closer to waking up. She leaned against Dave, letting him place a comforting hand on her shoulder as she rocked Iris back and forth in her arms.

Earlier that day, Tim's parents had visited the hospital, bringing over some of the gifts that they had gotten for Iris and Alison. The visit had not gone as well as was to be expected, and Penelope had had to go up and take the baby, as Alison was too upset to deal with her. When pressed, Alison had told her that Tim's parents were going to cremate his body and hold the service the day after Christmas.

That had made Dave see red, and he had gone up and comforted Alison before calling and reaming his parents out. It wasn't enough to get them to change their minds, but they did relent to having the service in the hospital chapel so that Alison could attend.

Sighing, she listened to the carolers begin another song, this one just as familiar to her. "O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie…"

"This is Erin's favorite Christmas hymn, right?" she asked lowly and Dave nodded. She began to watch her on the bed, hoping that somehow these carolers would be able to reach her in a way that they had not. Softly, she began to sing as well, noticing how heavy Iris was becoming in her arms. Looking down at the girl, she saw that she was asleep and she went and put her back in the crib. Rejoining Dave, she resumed her vigil, willing Erin to wake up, to say something to them.

It seemed to have no effect and after the song, the carolers left, wishing them a Merry Christmas. They nodded and Penelope took a seat next to Erin once more, picking up her hand. It was less cool than it had been, and she was grateful for that. "Merry Christmas, everyone!"

She turned to look at the doorway, seeing Hotch, Beth, Derek, and Alex, standing there. Tears clouded her eyes as she smiled at them, beckoning them in. Out of the four, it seemed that Alex was the most uncomfortable, and Penelope wasn't sure if that was because they were in a hospital or that she was visiting Erin. "Thank you for coming."

"We didn't want you guys to spend the holidays alone," Beth replied, taking the seat next to her. "Aaron told me that she made a few noises yesterday. That's a wonderful sign of progress, right?"

"Yes." There was something comforting about the woman's presence, and suddenly Penelope was glad that Hotch had decided to stick with the relationship. She needed someone like that here in that very moment. "So, Merry Christmas to us."

"Oh, Penelope." The woman enveloped her in a soft hug, the scent of her perfume filling Penelope's senses as she struggled to not cry once more. Ever since Dave had mentioned Erin not wanting them to cry so much, she had made the concerted effort to do just that. It was so hard, though, when hope seemed to be dangling just out of their reach. "She is one of the strongest women I have ever had the opportunity to meet. And she is going to wake up."

"I know. I believe that in my heart, Beth, I really do." The woman nodded against her head and then let her go. "So, what did Hotch get you for Christmas?"

"I have no idea. And we have to wait until after the midnight service tonight to open one of our presents. I guess this is a tradition he and Jack have. Only, he gets to pick which present I open. And of course, it won't be the one that I want to open, it's never as easy as all that."

"No, never."

And then, Beth was pulling out a small package from her purse. "Here, we got this for you. Actually, Derek has a whole bag of presents for you and Dave. We didn't want your holiday to be completely devoid of all the trappings, you know."

Penelope drew in a deep breath as she smiled at her. "Thank you." She set Erin's hand back down on the bed, noticing the small twitch from the corner of her eye. Shaking her head, she stood and went over to her bed, sitting down next to Dave as the others gathered around them. Derek passed out the gifts they had brought and she bit her lip at the sight of their generosity.

"So, go on. Open the gifts." Beth seemed so eager to bring a spot of normalcy to the situation, and Penelope found herself responding to this more than anything. Hesitantly, she peeled the paper off the first gift, revealing a new pen from Derek. Alex had gotten her a bright colored scarf, while Hotch and Beth had gifted her with a recording of _Blithe Spirit_, along with a gift card to her favorite clothing store.

"Thanks so much everyone. I appreciate this so much," Dave murmured as he looked down at the gifts he had been given. Penelope noticed the tear tracks staining his cheeks and she reached out to him, resting her hand on his shoulder. He looked into her eyes and she saw the hope that was rapidly fading from his mind still shining faintly there. "You should probably wake Iris up, Kitten. I think Alison wanted to see her once more before she went to sleep tonight."

"I think I'm going to leave her there tonight. Alison is finally strong enough to look after her in the night, should she wake up."

Dave nodded and she went to the crib, picking the baby up. Iris smiled up into her face, patting it gently. "Penny! Iris sleep granny?"

"No, sweetie, I'm going to take you to Mommy tonight. She misses seeing you all the time, and this would be a wonderful Christmas present for the two of you." Shouldering the diaper bag, she left the room, happy to see the others were going to stay with Dave a bit longer.

"Hey, mind if I go up with you?"

"Not at all, Derek." They walked side by side until they reached the elevator. "I think she twitched a little when I set her hand down. My mind wants to say that she purposefully did that, that she missed my touch. But that's just wishful thinking, isn't it?"

He looked at her seriously as they stepped onto the elevator. "Baby Girl, you need to hold onto that hope, you really do. And maybe, just maybe, she was trying to reach out to you in the only way she can right now. Your mind is sharp as a tack, and I don't see you as someone reading too much into something."

She nodded, sagging a little against the wall. "I guess I just needed you to talk me down from the ledge." He nodded and as the elevator continued to rise, she listened to Iris babble away.

Alison was sitting up, reading a book, when they entered the room. "Penelope! What brings you here?"

"I think that Iris should spend Christmas Eve with her mother, don't you? Your doctor said that you were strong enough to take care of her during the night, and so…"

The young woman started crying, setting her book aside to hold out her arms to her child. Penelope handed her over, putting the diaper bag on the table next to Alison's other things. "If my doctor lets me, I'm going to come down and sit with Mama for a while tomorrow. My brother and sister are planning on coming up as well."

"That will be nice, Allie. Have a wonderful evening."

"You, too, Penelope." She waved to Iris as she left, a soft smile on her face. She decided to take the stairs down this time, tired of riding in the elevator. When she got back to Erin's room, the others had left and it was just the three of them once more.

"So, just us again?"

Dave looked up at her and nodded. "It gets a little oppressive in here. Only you and I aren't affected by it, it seems."

"Oh, I am, Dave, I just push past it for her sake. I have to." He nodded and she came to sit next to him once more. "Did you notice any more movements or noises while I was gone?"

"Nothing. Why?"

"I thought she tried to squeeze my hand earlier. I know it's always so cheesy when I see it on television, but do you think we should ask her to give us signs that she's in there, that she is trying to wake up?"

"I suppose anything is worth a shot, Kitten." She smiled sweetly at him and picked up Erin's hand. "Erin, cara, Penelope is holding your hand right now. Do you think that you could squeeze it once, to let us know that you can hear us, that you're trying to come home. I could use a bit of a Christmas miracle at this point, my love."

They waited for some indication that she was there with them, unable to say anything yet still wanting to be there with them. It seemed like there would be no magic in the evening for them, and as the minutes ticked by, Penelope felt herself tear up. Unconsciously, she began to pull her hand back, and then Erin's fingers tightened around hers. Penelope looked up at Dave, sucking in a deep breath, jerking her head towards their entwined hands. "David," she hissed happily and he nodded.

"Erin, if you can hear me, squeeze Penelope's hand two times." It was so faint, and yet so clear. Two distinct squeezes on her hand had her bursting into tears, tightly griping Erin's hand in return. "I'm going to go get the night nurse, Kitten. Stay here with her."

Penelope nodded, arching up into the light rubbing of her arm. Excitement thrummed through her body as she bent over the bed, resting her head on Erin's stomach as she looked up into her face. There was nothing there to indicate that she was nearing waking up, but the light squeezes had managed to restore her faith that something good was coming. "Oh, Erin, you're almost home to us. Your kids are all going to be here tomorrow, and you granddaughter. Wouldn't it be lovely if you were awake for them?"

The door squeaked and she sat up to look at the people who were coming in. Doctor Winchester was smiling a little, while Pam, the night nurse, couldn't hide her look of jubilation. "So, Dave just told me that we may have a bit of a Christmas miracle on our hands. If you don't mind, I have a few tests that I need to run through with her, so if you could go stand over by Dave."

She nodded and stood up, trying to untangle her hand from Erin's. Her friend just tightened her grip and Penelope glanced up at the doctor. "She won't let go." Sitting back down, she leaned in close to Erin's ear. "Honey, you have to let me go for just a moment. The doctor wants to run some tests to see how close you are to fully waking up, okay? We're right here, we just can't stay by your side for this," she whispered before kissing the woman's cheek.

Finally, the grip on her hand relaxed and she stepped back by Dave, leaning into him as he wrapped his arm around her waist. "She's there, Kitten. She has to be. I mean, she wouldn't hang on to you if she wasn't fighting her way back."

"Right? I was so amazed when she responded to me. I'm hoping that tomorrow shows us an even bigger miracle." He nodded against the top of her head and she dug her hand into the fabric of his shirt. Penelope found that she couldn't watch what the doctor was doing, so she turned her face into Rossi's chest, breathing in the comforting scent of his aftershave.

It seemed like an eternity passed before Doctor Winchester addressed them once more. "I am cautiously optimistic that Erin will wake up within the next three days. She responded to all my stimuli tests, which is a wonderful sign. I hope this is a blessing for you to hear."

She nodded and Dave reached out for his hand, shaking it vigorously. "Thank you, so much, Doctor Winchester. I've really appreciated the way you've taken care of Erin."

"You are most welcome. I'll see you both tomorrow." They nodded and he left the room with Pam. Penelope turned to Dave, hugging him tightly.

"Oh, this is so wonderful!" she squealed with happiness, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I want to tell everyone, but I don't want to jinx anything."

"I know what you mean. Why don't you sit on the other side of her, and we'll each hold her hand?"

"That sounds perfect, Dave. And we can sing her favorite Christmas hymn." He nodded and moved her chair, and she settled in it, picking up Erin's left hand. Once Dave had picked up her right hand, they began to sing softly. This time, when Erin tightened her grip on Penelope's hand, she didn't gasp, instead smiling all the wider as she and Dave finished the song. Locking eyes with him, she knew that Erin's grip was just as strong on his side and she nodded at him before a large yawn escaped her body.

Chuckling a little, he motioned towards the bed, and she shook her head. "I don't want to leave her side, either, Kitten. But your back will really hate you in the morning."

"I don't care, Dave," she replied as she nestled her head on her other arm, watching Erin's stomach move up and down with her breaths, the steady motions lulling her into a deep sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

"Where am I?"

Those three words rocketed Penelope out of her sleep and she sat up with a start, looking at Erin's face. Her blue eyes were trying to focus on Penelope and she smiled as she started to cry. "Dave, Dave, wake up!"

He did so more slowly, stretching and cracking his back. "What is…Erin!" He enveloped her in a tight hug and she looked at Penelope in bewilderment.

"Would one of you kindly let me in on what is happening here? The last thing I remember is being in the car with Alison and her family, headed up to the cabin. Am I in the hospital?"

Penelope nodded. "There was a really bad car accident," she began when Jill bustled into the room. "Jill! Look who's awake, and on Christmas morning!"

"It's Christmas already?" Erin asked as Jill began to take her vitals. She nodded and Erin frowned, tears dimming her eyes. "But it was Friday just a little while ago."

"And you've been in a coma since then. We weren't sure if you were going to wake up or not, cara."

As she watched, Erin's hands fluttered down to her stomach. "And the baby?"

"Our baby didn't make it." She nodded, the first tears slipping down her face. Penelope took hold of her hand once more, squeezing tightly. "We'll try again, now that we know you can get pregnant…"

Erin pulled away from David, carefully turning on her side to face Penelope. "Maybe I don't want to try again. Maybe I wanted that baby."

This was not how Penelope had imagined things happening, once Erin had woken up. Sighing, she opened her arms to the woman, letting her burrow into her. Penelope rubbed her back slowly as Jill made her way out of the room. "Honey, I know this is a shock to you, but we have other news to tell you. Are you up to listening?"

Erin nodded slightly against her. "Yes, please, tell me."

"Your son in law didn't survive the accident, either. Alison is three floors above you, recovering from major surgery, but she's going to be fine in time. And Iris made it through without a scratch on her. We've been taking care of her while Alison got a little stronger. They'll be down to see you later today."

Erin sighed and shuddered a little as she tightened her arms around Penelope. "I lost the baby. I couldn't protect it, and I never told David we were going to be parents. How is he going to love me after this?" she whispered in her ear and Penelope shook her head, locking eyes with David. Motioning to Erin with her head, she gently pushed the woman away so that she could look in her eyes.

"Erin, we have stayed by your side since the accident. If he didn't love you before this, he certainly does now. I have watched him sing to you, stroke your hair, call you back to us, without ever complaining about anything."

Slowly, she nodded, finally accepting Dave's arms around her. He got them sitting up, and then she was crawling up in his lap, nuzzling her face into his chest. "I was going to tell you about the baby today. It was going to be my last gift to you. And I destroyed that."

"The accident wasn't your fault, cara. It was the drunk driver that blew through the red light who caused this devastation. I'm just sorry he also died on impact." Penelope watched him kiss Erin's temple before fishing the ring box out of his pocket. "And this is more true than ever, my beloved. I want you by my side, forever and always. Move in with me, be my partner, my equal in all things, and accept this small token of my love."

Erin cautiously opened the box, her eyes focusing on what was inside. Gasping lightly, she looked up into his face, a wobbly smile on her lips. "Yes. Put this on me, now."

He laughed, a wonderful sound to Penelope's ears, and took the ring out, slipping it on her hand. While they kissed, she took out her phone, taking a quick photo of them before sending it to his phone, giving him another picture of them together.

A soft knock on the door had her looking up at Alison and Iris. She beckoned them in and took Iris from her arms so that she could carefully move herself from the wheelchair she was in to the bed next to her mother. "Mama!"

"Allie!" Erin disentangled herself from Dave's arms to hug her daughter close. "I heard about Lee. I'm so sorry, baby." She ran her fingers through her daughters hair as they cried together. Iris started fussing and Penelope bounced her lightly up and down, trying to comfort her. "Here, let me see my granddaughter."

Erin took Iris from Penelope, peppering her face with kisses. "Mommy!" Again, Penelope looked up at the doorway and saw Erin's other children there. "You're awake!" They rushed in and swarmed around them, chattering away happily. Penelope continued taking pictures, knowing that this was a day that should be memorialized, when Erin had returned to them.

Dave was all smiles as he watched his family interact, and Penelope hoped that she accurately captured that look in one of the pictures she took. Figuring she had gotten enough, she began to upload them to Facebook, wanting to share the joy with everyone else. Within moments, she was getting notifications of people liking the photo album and the encouraging comments they were leaving.

"So, making sure the outside world knows she's alive?" Dave asked teasingly and she nodded. "Thanks, Kitten."

"Not a problem, Dave." Sitting back in the chair, she watched them still interact. The feeling of love that was filling the room made her shiver and she couldn't stop the tears that were falling down her face. Her phone rang and she quickly answered. "Hello?"

"She's awake?"

"Yeah, Sugar. She actually woke me up this morning. I guess Christmas miracles still happen."

"Of course they do, Baby Girl. But what happens now?"

"Now, we get her strong enough to go home with Dave and they begin their lives together."  
"She said yes, then?" she heard Hotch ask in the background, and she realized that they were together that morning. "Well, I know a good Christmas gift we can give them, then."

Penelope looked up at Dave and Erin, smiling impishly. "I think they would really appreciate the heavy lifting you would do. There's an extra key to his place in my office, along with all of yours. I think you know where they are, Hotch."

"Yes, I remember, Garcia. I'm glad this turned out to be such a happy Christmas for all of you. We'll see you soon."

"Of course!" She hung up and grinned happily at the scene before her. Dave got up and knelt on the floor next to her and she hugged him tightly. "Why is this seriously the best Christmas ever?"

"Because we got something that means more than things, we got a second chance. Erin woke up."

"Ah, yes." The kids stayed for another hour, until Erin yawns were too much to ignore, and they took Alison and Iris back up to her room. Penelope giggled a little as Erin tried to pull Dave up on the bed with her. "She hasn't been in your arms for five days, Dave. I would call it a lost cause and just get in bed with her. It's not like you can do anything here, you know."

"Oh, you'd be surprised, Kitten."

She blushed as Erin laughed richly before snuggling back into her lover. "Now Dave, leave the poor girl alone. I'm certain that she doesn't want to know about our vigorous love life."

"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure about that, cara. She knows about the garlic…"

Erin reached back to tiredly smack at his shoulder. "You told her that?"

"It just sort of slipped out, and she made the inference. No wonder you make such a good pair of friends, you both have gutter minds." Penelope pursed her lips, glaring at him. "That look doesn't work on me, Kitten. Erin wore it out."

"What else has she worn out?" she smartly replied, and Erin giggled once more, winking at her.

"Oh, that is it, I am so not approving of your friendship once we are out of this room. You're the one that's been giving her all these ideas!"

"Maybe." They giggled together and Dave just rolled his eyes, wrapping his arms around Erin's waist. They fell into an easy conversation until Jill came back in with Doctor Winchester.

"I waited until your children were gone to come in and check on you. Merry Christmas, Erin." He smiled warmly at her and began to proceed with an examination, going through a number of different exercises. "Everything looks perfect here, just as I hoped it would. Is there any lingering headaches or blurriness of vision?"

"Not that I've noticed, Doctor. Though it has only been a few hours since I woke up."

He nodded and made a few notes on the computer before leading Jill out with him. "So, how long do you think I'll be stuck in here?"

"I assume Doctor Winchester will tell us later today. I would plan on another day or two, at least, since they probably want to observe your recovery." Dave kissed her cheek lightly as she nodded, sighing.

"I just want to be home with you, in your arms…" Erin trailed off as she blushed deeply, looking at Penelope. "Though I would like it if you visited me, too, Penelope. I'm going to need your help recovering from this, I feel."

"Anything you need, I'll try and do. I'm just so glad that you're awake." She reached out for Erin's hand and the woman clasped it tightly.

"Thank you." She yawned once more, a smile spreading across her lips. "You would think that I wouldn't be tired after sleeping for so long. Yet here I am, ready to drop off again. Would you mind if I did?"

"No, honey, you need to get better, and if that makes you better, I'm all for it." Penelope squeezed her hand tightly as Erin closed her eyes, her face relaxing as she drifted off to sleep. "So, by the time we get out of here, Hotch and Morgan will have her things moved into your place. I may have arranged a Christmas surprise all my own."

Dave looked at her over Erin's shoulder. "That is so nice, Kitten. I know that she'll really appreciate this." He stretched and yawned. "I think I'm ready to join her, too. What a way to spend our Christmas, huh?"

"Well, it could be worse. Erin's awake, we got our Christmas miracle. Now, you go to sleep, and I'm going to crawl into the rollaway and take a short nap as well. And soon, we'll take her home and begin the recovery process."

He nodded and as Penelope watched, his eyes closed as he snuggled closer to Erin, his breathing evening out as he let himself sleep. Reluctantly, Penelope let go of Erin's hand and went over to her bed, crawling in. As she stretched out, she found that she couldn't sleep, so she pulled out her iPad and updated her Facebook before playing a few games.

Jill came in again to check on them, and Penelope smiled at her. "I'm so glad that you were able to get your miracle. From the sounds of things, Doctor Winchester is looking to release Erin on Thursday morning. We just have to see what tomorrow brings."

Penelope nodded eagerly before wrapping her arms around her leg, hugging it close to her chest. "That is really good news to hear, Jill. I just hate that you have to work on Christmas. Doesn't your family miss you?"

* She shook her head. "We went to Mass at midnight, and we'll open presents as soon as I'm off, in about three hours or so. You know, this really is one of the best parts of my job, getting to see the happy endings." The woman held out her hand, and Penelope shook it heartily, feeling an overwhelming joy fill her heart.

After making a few notes, Jill left the room and they were alone once more. Penelope hummed under her breath, finally starting to feel a bit tired. Rather than fall asleep, though, she powered through the heavy feeling, turning to watch Dave and Erin sleep. There was something so lovely about the picture that they presented, and she took another set of pictures of them, setting one as the background to her phone. She wanted to be reminded constantly of what love, true, abiding, love looked like, and that was the best way to do so.

Taking out her iPad, Penelope called up her new book, determined to get through a few more pages, only to see Erin stir. "Hey, I thought you wanted to sleep."

"I did, a little. But Davie needed to get some sleep, so I forced my eyes to close. I didn't say thank you, earlier, for taking care of Iris."

"It was nothing, Erin. She's an adorable little girl. How old is she?"

"One year, four months. I would have loved to add another baby to the family. I guess God's plan was something different for us."

Penelope nodded. "I could surrogate for you guys, if you wanted," she blurted out, before clapping her hand over her mouth, watching Erin's eyes widen.

"Really, you'd do that for us?" she asked lowly, gripping Dave's hand.

"Yes. I almost lost you, so this would be just a tiny, infinitesimal, fraction of a way to show how much I care for you and Dave."

"We'll have to talk about it, of course, and maybe wait a month or two…" Her voice trailed off as a dreamy smile curved across her lips. "You are an utterly amazing friend."

"I learned it from you," she teased lightly and Erin blushed. "So, would you tell me a little more about your family?"

"Of course, what would you like to know?"

"How about the story of your favorite vacation?"

Erin nodded and launched into a story of their first trip to the Grand Canyon and how Mark had begged and pleaded until she broke down and took the two of them on a helicopter ride over it. Penelope was enthralled by the stories spilling from her friend, and she settled in to listen to more, never wanting to hear her voice be silenced again.


	6. Epilogue

"Well, today is the day we find out how many of the eggs took," Penelope said, rubbing her stomach softly as she smiled at Dave and Erin.

"Well, at most it will be two, Kitten. Though, truth be told, I hope only one took. I don't know how well I'd handle twins running around at my age."

Erin smiled indulgently at her partner. "Honey, we have more than enough energy to go chasing after twins. And if we need a break, we have a great back up." She looked at Penelope, winking at her. "I want him or her to know from the moment they're born how much they were wanted and how they were lovingly carried by one of my dearest friends."

Penelope felt herself tear up as she nodded, moving forward to wrap Erin in a tight hug. "I love you so much, you two!" Erin rubbed her back lightly and then pushed her back to look into her eyes. "Let's get going before we're late."

They stepped out into the bullpen and she pulled on her jacket, fastening it tightly around herself as she went down the stairs. Derek smiled at her as she passed by Reid's desk and she grinned back. Even Alex seemed to give her an encouraging look and she was grateful that the woman had finally gotten over her silly grudge against Erin, hesitantly making inroads with her so that they could work in peace. "I hope everything goes well," Derek said as they paused by the door.

Penelope nodded, letting Erin wrap an arm around her waist. "I have this feeling that it will be exactly the right outcome no matter what happens, Boo." He grinned widely and they exited the room, heading to the elevator. "I can't believe it's this cool in May. The weather sure has been weird this spring."

"I know. Oh, Iris misses you, you know. Allie was talking about how she was asking for you the other day."

"I just saw her two weeks ago. I guess Allie and I will have to get together for lunch again soon." Penelope wrapped her arms around her, covering Erin's arm with her own. "I didn't realize how much I've missed having a family until you made me part of yours, Erin."

The woman closed her fingers about her wrist, squeezing slightly as she smiled at her. "You fit in perfectly with us, dear." She could hear that Erin was close to tears and she nodded, resting her head on her shoulder.

"You two are so mushy lately," Dave said, shaking his head at them.

"It's the hormones, honey. It happened to me with every pregnancy. I guess it's just a sympathetic reaction this time, just like the sympathetic morning sickness."

She met Dave's eye and he nodded slightly, confirming what Erin had just said. "You know, that's not really possible, since I'm not living with you guys. That won't happen until the seventh month, like we agreed on."

"I don't need to be with you to feel what you're going through, Penny." The hand tightened on her wrist and Penelope knew that the same possibility had just flashed through her head. "Besides, I'd know."

"Would you?" she murmured lowly, so that only Erin could hear and the woman nodded. Penelope frowned a little at her, and she shrugged. "All right, I'm thinking that we need to go out for Chinese food after this appointment. The baby is craving some beef and broccoli."

"Ooh, that does sound delicious!" She and Dave both looked askance at Erin, and she blushed a little. "What? I am seriously hungry for Chinese food at the moment."

"Whatever you say, Erin." Penelope stepped closer to her friend as they got out of the elevator. They both chose t sit in the back seat on the way to the doctor's office, chatting lowly about how her pregnancy would go. When Dave dropped them off at the door, she and Erin linked hands, going inside and signing in.

The moment she sat down, Penelope began to tap her foot anxiously, thinking about all the things that could have gone wrong since the implantation. What if the eggs hadn't taken, even though she did have a positive pregnancy test? What if only one egg took?

"Penelope Garcia and Erin Strauss?" a nurse called out and they stood, going over to her. "Did you want Dave to come back with you, too?"

"What do you think, Penny?"

"No, not this time, just in case…"

Erin grasped her hand tightly. "I understand. Well, let's get this started, then."

The woman nodded and led them back to an exam room, handing Penelope a gown to change into. "Dr. Burns will be in shortly."

They both nodded and once the woman was gone, Penelope quickly stripped down and pulled on the gown, letting Erin tie the ribbons. "So, after we get me ultrasound, I want you to humor me and have one done yourself. Okay?"

Erin sighed. "Fine, I suppose. It's just going to come back negative, you know."

"Sure, my dear, sure. How much do you want to bet on that?"

"Bet on what?" Dr. Burns asked as she bustled in the door.

"I think Erin got pregnant shortly after you knocked me up with her and Dave's eggs. She thinks everything she's experiencing is just a sympathetic response to my pregnancy symptoms. I want you to prove one of us right."

"That will be easy enough to do, after we get you all squared away. Here, let's get your vitals taken care of." The doctor quickly made a note of her weight and blood pressure before helping guide her legs into stirrups. "And now to see how many of the eggs took. Are you hoping for one or both, Erin?"

"Both, honestly. In a perfect world, I hope that Penelope has one of each, a boy and a girl. But whatever God gives us, I'll be content with."

Penelope smiled through her tears as she reached out for Erin's hand. "And I hope I can deliver that for you." They all laughed and then the gentle whooshing sound of the machine filled the room.

"Well, here's the first baby," Dr. Burns said softly, pointing out the heartbeat of it. "Now, let's see if I can find the second heartbeat." She moved the wand around Penelope's stomach, and then began to smile widely. "Ah, there they are. It looks like both eggs took. Congratulations!"

She met eyes with Erin, tears falling down her cheeks. "Well, the first half of your wish has come true. Now we just have to wait a few more weeks before Dr. Burns can tell us what they are. And then there's the little matter of you getting your ultrasound."

"I was hoping you'd forgotten," she murmured as Penelope scooted off the small bed, patting it for her. She shook her head and helped Erin up as Dr. Burns got out the gel. Erin clasped her hand as the woman spread it over her stomach, biting her lip nervously. "I know I'm not pregnant, Penelope. This is an exercise in futility."

"Then just humor me, okay?"

She nodded and Dr. Burns began to run the wand over the expanse of Erin's stomach. Both women jumped as the monitor picked up the thrum of a heartbeat resting there. "That, that's a heartbeat."

"Yes, it is. I suppose that further congratulations are in order. From the size of the fetus, you appear to be about a week behind Penelope in development. It does make sense, though, since we had you on Clomid to stimulate your ovulation for the eggs we implanted in Penelope."

"And there is only one there, right?" Erin asked fearfully, clutching Penelope's hand tightly.

"Yes. Now, when we get closer to the due dates of you two, we might discuss inducing you, Erin, so that they will all be born on the same day. If that's what you wish."

Erin smiled, running her free hand down to her stomach to rub gently. "No, when they come, they come. There's nothing orthodox about this situation, so why should we try to force that on the births?"

Dr. Burns nodded and handed them towels so that they could clean up. "All right, just set up your next appointments with the receptionist. I'll see you both, soon."

Penelope nodded, looking towards Erin to see her focus on her stomach, rubbing the gel off in slow circles. "Erin?"  
"I'm pregnant again. We're having pseudo-triplets." She raised her head to meet her eye. "After I woke up from my sleep, I never pictured anything like this happening." Sighing, she finished wiping the gel off. "Let's go tell David."

Penelope nodded and they walked out to the reception desk, setting up their dual appointments. Then they approached Dave, Erin's arm slung around her waist. "Well, what's the good news?" he asked as he stood, handing Erin her purse.

"Well, we are going to have more than one little one running around our house in a few months' time." Erin grinned at him, covering her stomach with her hand as she did so.

"Cara, are you trying…no, that is not possible. You're pregnant, too?"

She nodded and he wrapped her in a tight hug. "Careful, honey, I still need to be able to breathe. And so does the baby."

"Marry me," he blurted out suddenly, his eyes never leaving hers. "Today. I don't want to live another moment without the permanence of marriage. Penelope can be our witness, and it doesn't take that long to do it."

Erin burst into tears as she nodded. "Yes. Always and forever yes!" Then she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him there in the office, heedless of who was watching them. Penelope pulled out her cellphone and snapped a few pictures of them, quickly updating Facebook with them, captioning the first one 'She said YES!'.

"Here, Kitten, you drive us to the closest courthouse." Dave tossed her his keys as they began to walk out the door. He was totally wrapped up in his lover and she smiled at the picture they presented. The deep, dreamless, sleep was finally over, and life was moving forward just as it should. Nothing could possibly make her happier.


End file.
